About Us:
The Museum of the City of New York fosters understanding of the distinctive nature of urban life in the world’s most influential metropolis. It engages visitors by celebrating, documenting, and interpreting the city’s past, present, and future.
History:
The Museum of the City of New York was founded in 1923 by Henry Collins Brown, a Scottish-born writer with a vision for a populist approach to the city. The Museum was originally housed in Gracie Mansion, the future residence of the Mayor of New York. Hardinge Scholle succeeded Henry Brown in 1926 and began planning a new home for the Museum. The City offered land on Fifth Avenue on 103rd-104th Streets and construction for Joseph H. Freedlander’s Georgian Colonial-Revival design for the building started in 1929 and was completed in 1932. During the next few decades, the Museum amassed a considerable collection of exceptional items, including several of Eugene O’Neill’s handwritten manuscripts, a complete room of Duncan Phyfe furniture, 412 glass negatives taken by Jacob Riis and donated by his son, a man’s suit worn to George Washington’s Inaugural Ball, and the Carrie Walter Stettheimer dollhouse, which contains a miniature work by Marcel Duchamp. Today the Museum’s collection contains approximately 750,000 objects, including prints, photographs, decorative arts, costumes, paintings, sculpture, toys, and theatrical memorabilia.
What to See Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100 Now on view TimeOut has called Shirley Chisholm at 100 one of the best exhibitions in New York City. Trace Chisholm’s groundbreaking political career from her…
Read More »New Public Hours: Beginning July 1st, MCNY will be open seven days a week! Visit Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-6.p.m. What to see: This is New York: 100 Years of the City in Art and Pop Culture …
Read More »To commemorate the centennial of the birth of Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005), the Museum of the City of New York and the Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College will present the first major museum exhibition on the life and legacy of this…
Read More »What to see: exhibition highlights Preservation in Progress: Picturing Immigration Opens April 12 How do we care for and keep our collections for generations to come? Experience a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of a museum object and…
Read More »What to see: exhibition highlights People, Place, and Influence: The Collection at 100 FINAL WEEKS! Closing April 21 What can an array of shoes, like the ones seen above, tell us about New York City history? They can reveal the stories of the…
Read More »Spring is in the air, so hop on over to MCNY and don’t miss out on all the fun activities! Get your jazz hands out for an afternoon of music and dance with Dandy Wellington and his band this Saturday, and read on to explore what’s in…
Read More »Don’t forget to spring forward this Sunday! Before then, take a look at what’s on at the Museum this week and discover some of the bold, groundbreaking women in our collections and exhibitions whose stories we’ll be sharing this…
Read More »The Museum will be closed Thursday, February 22 for a private event. We invite you to join us Monday–Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, February 19–21 and 23–24 for special midwinter recess programming. Whether you're able to spend…
Read More »Weekly News Love is in the air in NYC, and we can’t wait for you to fall in love with Weekends @ MCNY. Our new FREE program series kicks off this week with the first installment of Up Close with Manny Vega. Don't miss your chance to see…
Read More »All of us at the Museum send you our best wishes for a joyous and healthy holiday season. Spend your winter break with us! In addition to our regular hours, join us Tuesday and Wednesday, December 26 & 27 from 10am–5pm. The Museum will be…
Read More »Museum News It's officially winter in New York! Skating in Central Park has always been a popular seasonal pastime. Head to the top of Museum Mile and make MCNY part of your wintertime traditions. Special holiday hours mean more time to…
Read More »Add MCNY to Your Holiday Plans We’ll be open extra hours this holiday season! In addition to our regular hours, you’re invited to discover the art, history, and culture of NYC on Tuesdays, December 19 & 26 and Wednesdays, December…
Read More »What to see: Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off On view through January 15, 2024. This year, 23 bakers from all five boroughs take on NYC icons in gingerbread form. See the designs—from Yankee Stadium to the Brooklyn Bridge and…
Read More »Now is the perfect time to head up to the top of Central Park and explore the changing colors of the season. While you're there, stop by the Museum to discover NYC in our exhibitions, catch a film, and more. We're open extra days this month, so…
Read More »Fall back with us this autumn. We're getting a little introspective as we take a look at the last 100 years and plan for the next chapter in our history. This month, we invite you to celebrate our big anniversary with a weekend-long bash October…
Read More »A talk and tasting: The Simple Art of Rice with Chef JJ Johnson Monday, September 18, 6:30pm Rice can be found at the center of tables across the world. Take a bite with Chef JJ Johnson, whose restaurant FIELDTRIP is based in Harlem—a…
Read More »Stay connected: THIS IS NEW YORK TRIVIA How well do you know NYC's pop culture history? Starting September 1, be on the lookout for trivia questions on LinkNYC screens throughout the city. All clues in this series are inspired by the exhibition…
Read More »Lights, Camera, Action! Explore New York on film this fall. Jump into the mid-20th century as we continue our journey through New York on Film: Decade by Decade with movies spanning the 1950s to the 1980s. This series explores the city’s…
Read More »Click here to View the Information About "Museum Of The City Of New York News - August 2023"
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Read More »This Is New York: 100 Years of the City in Art and Pop Culture See it now! Explore how New York City has inspired storytellers—across film, television, music, literature, visual arts, and more—through 400+ objects that span the…
Read More »Programs @ MCNY Join us for a brand new series! Our exciting new series, New York on Film: Decade by Decade, invites you to travel through NYC history as seen on the silver screen. Explore how New York has been imagined by Hollywood studios as…
Read More »Click here to View the Information About "Museum Of The City Of New York News - June 2023"
Read More »Click here to View the Information About "Museum Of The City Of New York News - May 26, 2023"
Read More »Click here to View the Information About "Museum Of The City Of New York - June Events 2023"
Read More »Museum News Mother's Day is this weekend! Now through Sunday, May 14, you can get 2-for-1 admission to the Museum. Treat yourself, your mom, or a mom you know with code MOM2023. Get Tickets In the News: The Museum is an award winner! Our digital…
Read More »Dear Friend, As we gear up for an exciting season at the Museum of the City of New York, I am thrilled to invite you to join us in celebrating our Centennial Year! This year marks a significant milestone for us as we reflect on our past…
Read More »Cocktails & Culture | Spring Jazz Thursday, May 4, 6–9pm Spend your night out at the Museum. Explore our exhibitions while being treated to live jazz with a Latin edge featuring guitarist Miguel Colombet and his quartet—Fernando…
Read More »Museum News This Week: Spring Break at MCNY! Spend Spring Break with us! In addition to our regular hours, join us Tuesday, April 11, and Wednesday, April 12 from 10am–5pm. Whether you're able to spend time in our galleries or engage…
Read More »The first blooms of the season are up and buds are appearing on the trees across the street in Central Park—Spring is finally here! There’s a lot going on this month, as we prepare for our Centennial exhibition (see a sneak peek below)…
Read More »New York Now: Home—A Photography Triennial Now on view There's no place like home, but this word can mean different things to different people. At its most practical, “Home” refers to the literal places we dwell. Yet it can also…
Read More »Coming Up This March Spring is almost here and fresh blooms, new leaves, and warmer days are right around the corner. This month take a moment to celebrate the bold, pioneering women in our collections and exhibitions—discover their…
Read More »Picturing Black Femme and Queer Communities in New York Now Wednesday, March 15, 6:30pm How can photography shift the focus in dominant narratives, historical representations, and discussions of power? Artists and photographers Naima Green, Nona…
Read More »Cocktails & Culture | Valentine's Bash Friday, February 10, 6–9pm Venue: In Person Celebrate Valentine's Day early at Cocktails & Culture! Get out on the dancefloor and show off your moves to DJ LiKWUiD's signature…
Read More »City of Faith: Religion, Activism, and Urban Space looks under the surface of New York’s image as a secular city and maps the complex and often surprising relationships that connect religion to public space. The exhibition focuses our…
Read More »Happy New Year! We have an exciting year ahead and can’t wait to spend it with you. There’s lots to see and do, so take a look at what we have in store this month. Read on and visit mcny.org for the most up-to-date info. Bruce…
Read More »All of us at the Museum send you our best wishes for a joyous and healthy holiday season. Spend your winter break with us! In addition to our regular hours, join us Tuesday and Wednesday, December 27 & 28 from 10am–5pm. The Museum will be…
Read More »Celebrate 100 years of storytelling at MCNY "I have worked at MCNY for 35 years and am happy to be here during the Museum's Centennial. I'm most proud that my story and advocacy work as part of Union DC37 was included in the Museum's 2019…
Read More »Now that we’ve had our first snow, it’s starting to feel like winter in New York! Head to the top of Museum Mile to see what’s on the menu and explore exciting exhibitions. Special holiday hours mean more time to celebrate with…
Read More »Dear MCNY Friends and Community, In 2023, the Museum of the City of New York will mark its Centennial – a landmark achievement for any institution, especially in this city of perpetual reinvention. As New York City’s storyteller, the…
Read More »Museum of the City of New York Monthly News - December 2022 Who Knew New York Could Be This Sweet? This month, you can have your cookie and eat it too at the Museum. Explore Gingerbread NYC, spend the evening at Cocktails & Culture, or…
Read More »Be the First to Celebrate 100 Years of Museum Of The City Of New York "One hundred years ago, MCNY became the first museum in the United States dedicated to the study of a single city. Celebrating our Centennial is a moment both to look back and…
Read More »See what's on this weekend at the Museum. The Museum will be open for additional hours during Thanksgiving week! Visit us Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am–5pm. The Museum will be closed on Thursday, November 24 for Thanksgiving Day. City of…
Read More »Plan Your Visit and Check Out Our Monthly Highlights Looking to spend a weekend getaway in New York City? The New York Times listed the Museum as one of the key stops to see in 36 hours. This November, explore our engaging exhibitions and dynamic…
Read More »Good Morning! The Museum is excited to offer a discounted, program-only ticket to our annual Louis Auchincloss Prize. Please note that this ticket will only grant access to the program and award presentation starting at 7 pm. The cocktail…
Read More »Plan Ahead for October Events Last Chance! Behind the Scenes @ The New York Times Wednesday, September 28, 6:30pm Venue: In Person How much has digital technology changed the job of newspaper reporters and editors since the Analog era? Join…
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